Secretary
Showcases Outstanding Business Opportunities in the US Affiliated Islands

(LOS ANGELES,
CA)- Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton told a conference she hosted
in Los Angeles today that the seven island jurisdictions for which the
Department of the Interior has responsibility offer outstanding business
opportunities. More than 900 people participated in the conference,
including island heads of state, governors, business executives and
private sector island officials spearheading numerous investment and
trade initiatives.

"We have gathered for
one reason: To learn more about the win-win business opportunities found
on our U.S. affiliated islands: America's territories and freely associated
states," the Secretary said.

The Secretary's Conference
on Business Opportunities in the Islands, held September 23 and 24 at
the Marriott Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, highlighted opportunities
in Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, American Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the
Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

"There is as much business
potential as there is beauty on those islands and that is considerable,"
said Norton. "While a long way from the continental shore, the
islands are close to America in many ways. They share the currency and
the political stability. They have U.S. protection but are free to select
their own courses of development."

Norton said the islands offer
American companies excellent contracting opportunities. The Federal
Government recently agreed to send $3.5 billion in grants to the Marshall
Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia alone over the next 20
years.

In addition to Norton, other
dignitaries at the conference included Kessai Note, President of the
Republic of the Marshall Islands; Redley Killion, Vice President, Federated
States of Micronesia; Charles Turnbull, Governor, U.S. Virgin Islands;
Kaleo Moylan, Lieutenant Governor, Guam; Togiola Tulafono, Governor,
American Samoa and Juan Babauta, Governor, Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands.

This year's conference follows
the successful 2003 conference at which more than 500 businesspeople
and others joined Secretary Norton and top officials from the U.S. territories
to hear expert panels discuss opportunities in a variety of industries.